Washington Post: NC Passes Gay Marriage Ban
Supporters and Critics Wait for What’s Next
Here’s how I see all this:
You can believe in what you want. As long as it’s not hateful or harmful to others, I’ll even listen to your POV if you promise not to try to ram it down my throat, or try to convince me that your belief is the only right way.
Democrats and Republicans do many wrong things, for the wrong reasons: there are lobbies/big money that have no concerns for the people of this country, only profits.
The blame game is what is hurting this country. I read a series of posts on FB, an anti-President Obama thread, that were volatile and negative spewing. The main thrust was, from the person who started the thread, that he feels all Republicans should say NO to anything coming from an opposing POV.
No listening and judge on individual merits; no attempt to compromise; no attempt to work for the betterment of all the people in the country. Just Say NO was his mantra…and then he and others complained that “the liberals” only spout and don’t listen and run away from a fight.
[Side Bar: As to arguments about Bush Bashing…one thing to disagree with the man, which I do. I have my reasons: my two biggest complaints are: his getting the news of the 9/11 attacks and just sitting dumbfounded in a Kindergarten classroom, not making a move, not directing the country, not showing any action; the second is, when asked about his greatest achievement in office, he talks about a fish he caught. Joke or not, to me, it’s not funny. I’m not even going to go into the economic state of the union he left for whoever won the election to pick up after him. Nope. Not going there.]
Before any civil rights acts, inter-racial marriages were forbidden, as were inter-religious ones. They were, for those days, their own “war on marriage” which, yes, I have seen slogans for.
The President spoke his mind and made a stand: he believes in same sex marriage. He did not say any other state of marriage should be nullified, nor did he exclude anyone. He did not say, in any way, that this was a war on marriage. He did not say we all must believe as he did. Many won’t, and that is their prerogative. He is, if anything, advocating the civil rights of the “rest” of the country for consenting adults in love to get married.
If you don’t want to be married to someone of the same sex, or a different religion, or a different skin color, or a different nationality, then: JUST DON’T. But, don’t impose your own POV on someone else.
Why then, as a straight man, am I so behind repealing an amendment based on hatred and bigotry?
I’m also a JEWISH male, and if anyone wants to talk about history of abuse and hatred against a people, then let’s talk. We got ya beat by thousands of years.
It’s time to let things that are NOT important to the running of a country go, and focus on what we can do POSITIVELY and for the GOOD OF THE PEOPLE. The civil rights of American Citizens are being crushed under foot by those who say they love this country.
You love this country, then show it. Stop forcing your negative religious beliefs on others and do something positive with all that energy.
Fight poverty
Fight human trafficking
Fight hunger
Fight injustice (and you better believe this is injustice)
Fight for a stronger economy
Fight to bring our schools back to a place of prominence
Fight for a way to bring this country together, instead of continuously tearing it apart
RAAckerman@Cerebrations.biz
May 10, 2012 @ 22:54:04
Great post, Stuart.
There is not much to add to this!
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 06:37:11
Thanks Roy. and yes…nothing more. This’ll be my last rant on this subject.
Dianne Jones
May 11, 2012 @ 07:02:23
Great post! Spot on!
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 17:33:52
Thank you Dianne
Linda Rogers
May 11, 2012 @ 07:08:17
I’m not an American but I agree with your post about negativity. I might say though that in the profession of politics, listening to someone with an opposing point of view IS generally thought to be a waste of time. Why? Because it has been tested and measured again and again that people seldom change their minds radically. Therefore your time is better spent motivating people who think like you to kick it up a notch, to get out there and get mobile, to vote, to help out, to contribute some money to your local progressive candidate. Besides listening to the right wing haters and the loony libertarians is bad for your blood pressure and makes for early development of frown lines. So don’t let them engage you in pointless debates, just keep articulating the positive vision 🙂
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 17:33:33
I understand Linda. I just would HOPE that if people learned how to really have a conversation, things would be different. Thanks
The Golden Eagle
May 11, 2012 @ 09:06:48
Excellent post!
There are definitely more productive things that people could turn their attention to, instead of focusing on negatives–it’s sad that so few people do.
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 17:32:39
I could not agree with you more, GE.
MuMuGB
May 11, 2012 @ 09:35:37
Well Stuart, I am coming from a completely different background and I am also totally in favour of gay marriage. I don’t understand what the fuss is all about. Why would the law prevent people from being happy and in a stable relationship? I don’t get it.
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 17:32:11
Neither do I, Muriel. It is mainly people who are afraid and find it repugnant. They just don’t have to have a same sex relationship, imo.
Lisa Wields Words
May 11, 2012 @ 10:06:58
Great post Stuart. Let’s turn our minds to the positive and make a difference. I’m tired of the negative in all aspects of life.
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 17:31:14
Here Here! 😉
Amanda
May 11, 2012 @ 10:23:03
Holy cow what a great post!! Love it! I’m gonna tweet it and share it with the world! 🙂
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 17:30:59
I appreciate that Amanda. Holy Cow, indeed!
Bonnie - Your Better Living Maven!
May 11, 2012 @ 14:37:23
Well put Stuart. Time to stop all this nonsense about who gets to be right and think about the common good.
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 17:30:33
Thank you Bonnie
Debra Lynn Lazar
May 11, 2012 @ 21:57:25
Agreed! As a straight, Jewish woman, I’m grateful we have a President who is willing to stand up for what is right. We’ve seen what staying silent or willfully denying people their rights leads to. Hopefully, Obama’s conviction for human and civil rights, along with his many accomplishments over the past few years, will win him another term.
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 23:25:30
Debra, it was a move he probably wasn’t ready to make, but it is done. I just hope we can stop any dirty politics and go for who is right to lead us for another four years. For me, It’s NOT Mitt.
Lynn Brown
May 11, 2012 @ 23:07:27
What’s hurting this country is the DIVIDE… why do we even have ‘parties’ – especially since only those with big money are almost the only ones that will be seen and heard. We need to promote commonism… not sure that is a word, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a ‘suggestion box’ and see what people really want – then govern based on that. Take the money we save from all the politcal crap and but it back into our schools 🙂
Stuart Nager
May 11, 2012 @ 23:12:21
Lynn…I was wondering how many millions of dollars were just wasted by Republican nominees spent in advertising and such. Imagine a politician who gathered all those millions and instead of the normal politicking they put that money into education, or homeless relief, or…. how many jobs could have been made/saved, if properly set out. Boggles the mind. We’re ok with them spending all that fricking money, and for what?
Lynn Brown
May 12, 2012 @ 02:04:03
You know Stuart I think Social Media has opened a door where we are learning much more of the in’s and out’s of politics and other news. Maybe it was better and more simple back in the day, where we just didn’t know – ha!
AmyBeth Inverness
May 11, 2012 @ 23:29:24
I can’t stand how so much of politics is “Say anything to get elected… say anything to get the other party out of office… sabotage anything if it means their party can gain power.
I was researching what states have gay marriage (I live in VT… we not only have gay marriage, we’re surround by other states that do) I was rather surprised to find out just how many states already have laws against gay marriage. I don’t remember there being as much of an uproar before… why are people noticing this more now? Are we waking up because we’re realizing it’s not just a couple of “conservative” states, but it’s actually quite a few states?
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-gmtimeline-fl,0,5345296.htmlstory
Stuart Nager
May 12, 2012 @ 09:52:37
Yeah, half the country has it in law. I don’t see how this is a political issue more than a religious/choice issue.
karentoz
May 12, 2012 @ 08:52:28
Wonderful post! Thank you!
zencherry
May 12, 2012 @ 10:33:54
Listen, if happy people want to marry, then what’s the big de…oh. Gay means what? 😉 This is one of those things that, with time, will prove that no matter the partners involved, marriage is the same.
Stuart Nager
May 12, 2012 @ 11:55:17
It was, in days of old, political or economical arrangements. Love rarely came into it; that’s a “modern” invention. It shouldn’t be an issue, and in forty years I doubt it will be. We’re living in the ’50s again, it seems. Just gender as opposed to race/religion.
Penelope J.
May 12, 2012 @ 16:08:14
I couldn’t agree more with your stance on concentrating on what is important for the country and the people. As you say, gay marriage shouldn’t be an issue, but the conservative/religious right has made it one, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future with their “gay marriage vs. family values” platform.
Robertabud
May 12, 2012 @ 21:11:52
People are people no matter how small was once said by a very wise elephant.